Kanji/Vocab Corrections headache with On/Kun readings

WaniKani Requesting Help
#1

So when I first started using WaniKani, I was SO exciting to find out that it would give me a second chance if I accidentally used the On-yomi reading/Kun-yomi reading when entering the answer and it required the other. This mostly happened because I don’t pay attention to whether it’s asking me for the kanji or vocab. I don’t get much time in the mornings to practice, so I have to kinda speed through without paying attention to whether it’s kanji or vocab (Yes I know they’re colored, but apparently my brain doesn’t register that hahah). But lately it hasn’t been giving me a second chance. Just telling me I’m wrong, and then obviously it’d lower that kanji/vocab, making me repeat the word even if I know both readings.

Is this a WIP feature, or are some of these just not functional with the ‘Oops, we were looking for the xx reading’?’

I’d really love to not have to worry about if I make a silly slip-up like that. It’s a pretty trivial thing, but it’s actually been quite the headache.

1 Like
#2

I think it only works for Kanji, but it wont work for vocab words ever.

If youre looking for something to give you that second change, just Install the WK override script. But make sure not to abuse it!

Also, I just wanna point out that giving the wrong yomi reading isnt really a “Pretty trivial thing”. WK works on making sure you know the deference between those readings and what they’re used for. Its a very large part of the platform, but obviously mistakes will be made so no need to be super hard on yourself, but it is very much worth learning and remembering the differences between them, and knowing they are NOT interchangeable.

3 Likes
#3

By trivial thing, I didn’t mean that mixing them up was trivial!! I absolutely understand that it isn’t. I mean that my complaint was trivial :slight_smile:

But thank you for the link! I think it’ll help, and I have 0 intention of abusing it. I take my studies very seriously since I want to become fluent as fast as possible and don’t want to take shortcuts.

And also thank you for the clarification–it makes sense that it was just for Kanji that the ‘oops’ second chance was happening.

2 Likes
#4

The thing is, Kanji aren’t just random choices. When Kanji is a vocab, you have a word, or you don’t.

If you were trying to read 人形 and said ひとかたち, that’s simply not a word, and in this case, not gibberish, but would have a completely different meaning. That’s like saying, If I look at the word “Read” and say “spoon” why can’t that be correct?

2 Likes
#5

When kanji are put together, or with other words/kana, that isn’t when I mess them up. What I mean is when the Kanji AND the Vocab are both the exact same character, but with different readings. Because perhaps I have both the Kanji and the Vocab of the Kanji in the same review set. And it just had me give the meaning of the Kanji, then a couple of reviews later it asks for the reading of that Kanji’s Vocab. That’s when I mess up ^^;

#6

No problem! I wanted to help but also just make sure I pointed that out lol. I love that script, its made my reviews much less frustrating since sometimes I type fast and just make typos that used to make me flip out when I got something wrong.

#7

I’ve absolutely made plenty of typos, but those don’t bother me as much as when I realize I was meant to enter the reading for the vocab instead of the kanji xD

1 Like
#8

Take the reviews slowly to watch for both the color change as well as the indicator telling you Kanji or Vocabulary. In general, WaniKani teaches you an On’Yomi reading with the Kanji and the Kun’Yomi with the stand-alone Vocabulary. In the cases where a Kanji is originally Japanese (and therefore has no On’Yomi) or the On’Yomi is never used, you will be taught the Kun’Yomi reading with the Kanji.

As it was mentioned above, you will get a “second chance” on the Kanji because the Kun’Yomi reading is usually used on standalone Kanji. On the other hand, it’s much rarer to find kanji that use the On’Yomi when alone (numbers are an early example of this), so you will not receive the “second chance.”

The easiest way (in my opinion) to remember to use the Kun’Yomi is that generally kanji that can be used as vocabulary alone normally have a Kun’Yomi that sounds much more like a word than the On’Yomi. For example, I find からだ to be much more natural to say than たい if I want to say “body,” so I probably want to use the former for vocabulary. Kind of like if you were to ask someone for some hydro! :laughing:

#9

I wasn’t thrilled about the purple background to identify vocab. I’m mildly colorblind and that stuff doesn’t always register. It took a bit before I started noticing the label and the behavior.

#10

They’re also differentiated by font size.

#11

“Kanji” terms, with the pink backgrounds, are asking you how to read the Kanji when you see it in a compound word. WK only looks for the “most important” or “most common” readings, which can be subjective. Hence, penalizing you for a valid reading it’s not looking for would be a bit ridiculous. You get another shot here.

“Vocab” terms on the other hand, with the purple backgrounds, are standalone words or short phrases. Imagine that the purple backgrounds are asking you how to read the term as if you’d come across it in a sentence. Using the wrong reading is just straight up wrong, no ifs ands or buts. On the plus side, vocab doesn’t have an effect on how quickly you advance through WK, you’ll just see it again sooner.

Using EiriMatsu’s example, answering 「すい」 instead of 「みず」 when 水 shows up as vocab would be like saying “I’m gonna go drink some hydro.”

#12

I feel you on the color blindness. I have moderate protanomaly, so the colors don’t register as quickly either. I just watch the labels. When I first started, the site either didn’t have an integrated IME or it just didn’t work for me, because I had to use my computers to input the hiragana. That got me in the habit of making sure whether the site wanted the meaning or reading.

@Leebo I think I just noticed the font size difference for the first time now that you said that. :open_mouth:

#13

Dihydrogen monoxide:

  • is also known as hydroxyl acid, and is the major component of acid rain.
  • contributes to the “greenhouse effect”.
  • may cause severe burns.
  • contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.
  • accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.
  • may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes.
  • has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients.

Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:

  • as an industrial solvent and coolant.
  • in nuclear power plants.
  • in the production of styrofoam.
  • as a fire retardant.
  • in many forms of cruel animal research.
  • in the distribution of pesticides. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical.
  • as an additive in certain “junk-foods” and other food products.
2 Likes
#14

This topic was automatically closed 365 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.